2025 Alcohol Guide to Clinical Trials, Research & Treatment

What is it? Conditions Research Further Clinical Trials Conclusion

What is Alcohol?

The alcohol in an alcoholic drink is ethanol, produced by fermenting grains, fruits, or other foods that contain sugar. Alcohol has been used as a beverage since prehistoric times. It is mentioned in ancient Egypt, Babylon, and many other societies.

Alcohol produces intoxication due to its chemical composition. Because alcohol molecules are so small, they easily disrupt the brain’s neurotransmitters. The body cannot store alcohol, so it is broken down by the liver and excreted in urine.

What Conditions is Alcohol Associated With?

Many people consume alcohol during recreational activities. Consumed infrequently, it may have few or no health effects. However, it is also associated with an extremely wide variety of dire health conditions, many of which are chronic and/or can be fatal.

About 15 million Americans suffer from an alcohol abuse disorder.

What’s more, only about 6.7% of people who have a drinking problem seek professional help. About 88,000 people die of alcohol-related causes every year. Problem drinking can result in physical dependence on alcohol.

Since alcohol consumption leads to reductions in reaction time, judgment, and decision-making, any episode of drinking can lead to harmful accidents or injury. However, most health risks of alcohol come from problem drinking, including binge drinking.

Conditions associated with long-term alcohol misuse include:

High blood pressure, stroke, heart attack, and other cardiovascular events
Cirrhosis (permanent scarring) of the liver caused by alcohol exposure
A higher risk of certain cancers, including breast, mouth, throat, and liver
Decline in cognitive performance, especially in learning and memory
Greater likelihood of mental health complications like anxiety and depression

What Research Currently Exists on the Effects of Alcohol?

For many years, research around alcohol focused on the idea that it had health benefits if used in moderation. However, recent research is casting doubt on these long-held assumptions.

Over the last five years, scientific studies have confirmed the connection between even moderate alcohol use and premature death, cancer, stroke, and high blood pressure. Some studies also suggest that abstaining from alcohol can improve mental health.

In general, a scientific consensus is forming around the idea that zero alcohol consumption is the best approach for individuals who want to safeguard their overall health.

Why Are Further Clinical Trials on the Effects of Alcohol Important?

Alcohol and its risks have been researched extensively. However, there are still many areas where more findings are needed. 40%-60% of people treated for alcoholism eventually relapse. The precise brain chemistry involved in alcoholism and successfully abstaining from problem drinking are not understood. Quality of support for sufferers can be spotty.

A limited number of medications are available to help people with alcoholism. However, these are effective in only a fraction of cases.

Likewise, further research is necessary to support the anecdotal conclusions of treatment organizations, especially faith-based organizations, about the best way to provide social support during long-term treatment.

Current Clinical Trials on the Effects of Alcohol

This is the most recent list of clinical trials on the effects of alcohol submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov.

Alcohol clinical resources are developed by organizations worldwide. Watch this space for further information about alcohol studies that may lead to groundbreaking treatment. If you have a study to include on our site, contact our team.

PET Imaging of Phosphodiesterase-4B (PDE4B) in Alcohol Use Disorder
on March 3, 2025 at 5:00 am
Conditions: Alcohol Use Disorder Interventions: Drug: 18F-PF-06445974 Sponsors: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Recruiting
SMART-r: Substance Monitoring and Active Relapse Tracking Repository
on March 3, 2025 at 5:00 am
Conditions: Alcoholism; Substance-Related Disorders Sponsors: National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Recruiting
Leveraging Virtual Care Strategies to Improve Access and Treatment for Individuals With Alcohol Use Disorders
on March 3, 2025 at 5:00 am
Conditions: Alcohol Use Disorder Interventions: Behavioral: Telephone Engagement; Behavioral: Portal Engagement; Behavioral: MI-CBT Sponsors: University of Michigan; National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) Recruiting
Narrative Writing to Promote Healthy Decisions About Alcohol During the Transition Out of High School
on February 28, 2025 at 5:00 am
Conditions: Alcohol Use, Unspecified Interventions: Behavioral: Most hoped for future self; Behavioral: Most feared future self; Behavioral: Control (trip to zoo); Behavioral: Balanced future self Sponsors: University of Washington; National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) Recruiting
Nicotinic Receptor Genetic Variation and Alcohol Reward
on February 28, 2025 at 5:00 am
Conditions: Alcohol Drinking Interventions: Drug: Alcohol (Oral); Drug: Alcohol (IV); Drug: Alcohol (Ethanol) Sponsors: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) Recruiting
Examining the Relationship Between Physical Activity Levels and Chronotype Tendencies in Individuals With Alcohol Dependence
on February 27, 2025 at 5:00 am
Conditions: Alcohol Abuse/Dependence Sponsors: Gulhane School of Medicine Recruiting
Recompensation in Alcohol Related Hepatitis
on February 27, 2025 at 5:00 am
Conditions: Alcoholic Hepatitis (AH) Interventions: Other: Motivational enhancement therapy Sponsors: Nina Kimer; Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre; The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research Recruiting
Cannabidiol for Reducing Drinking in Alcohol Use Disorder
on February 27, 2025 at 5:00 am
Conditions: Alcohol Use Disorder Interventions: Drug: Cannabidiol oral oil; Drug: Placebo oral oil Sponsors: Hôpital le Vinatier Recruiting
Alcohol Screening and Preoperative Intervention Research Study - 2
on February 26, 2025 at 5:00 am
Conditions: Alcohol Drinking Interventions: Behavioral: Enhanced Usual Care (pre-operative); Behavioral: Preoperative Virtual Health Coaching; Behavioral: Usual surgical care (post-operative); Behavioral: Postoperative Virtual Health Coaching; Behavioral: On-Track (Post-operative) Sponsors: University of Michigan; National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) Recruiting
Ketamine Alcohol (in Treatment-Resistant Depression)
on February 26, 2025 at 5:00 am
Conditions: Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Major Depression; Alcoholism Interventions: Drug: Ketamine Sponsors: Mark Niciu; National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Recruiting
Validation of the French Version of the Prediction of the Alcohol Withdrawal Severity Scale (PAWSS)
on February 25, 2025 at 5:00 am
Conditions: Addiction, Substance; Alcohol Use Disorder; Alcohol Dependence; Alcohol Withdrawal Interventions: Diagnostic Test: French version PAWSS Sponsors: Etablissement Public de Santé Barthélemy Durand Recruiting
Brief Family Involved Treatment Telehealth
on February 24, 2025 at 5:00 am
Conditions: Alcohol Use Disorder Interventions: Behavioral: Brief Family-Involved Treatment (B-FIT); Behavioral: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Alcohol Use Disorder (CBT for AUD) Sponsors: Medical University of South Carolina; National Institutes of Health (NIH); National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) Recruiting

Conclusion

Alcohol has been part of human history for thousands of years. However, modern medicine still has a long way to go in managing the serious health risks associated with it. More alcohol clinical studies are crucial for discovering the alcohol clinical resources millions of people need to stop drinking.